Do You Need a Neighborhood Watch in Your Area?

After and thefts around Lake Hopatcong, residents in certain neighborhoods that were hit began to talk to police and each other, and realized they’d seen Malson in the neighborhood prior to the burglaries.

that she saw Malson walking along her street the night before his arrest. It was her description, along with other neighbors, that led police to find Malson. Breitner had actually seen Malson several times in the days prior to his arrest.

“I saw him fishing off a dock several times, but I didn’t think anything of it,” she said.

It was her description, along with those of other neighbors, that led police to find Malson.

While this wasn’t a formal neighborhood watch, neighbors being aware and able to describe something out of the ordinary helped police to find this alleged burglar.

Neighborhood watches happen when neighbors watch over each other’s houses and patrol the streets. They can happen to hopefully prevent crime, but also after a crime has happened.

Old-fashioned neighborhood watches have given way to high-tech versions. Neighbors will often inform each other via social media like Facebook or through text messages on phones if something is amiss in the neighborhood.

In Jefferson, police are available to start up a neighborhood watch.

“Our role is to help a neighborhood get a watch started. We can give advice on getting it going, and we will also relay information to a neighborhood watch contact as it becomes available,” said Jefferson Township Police Captain Eric Wilsusen.

Neighborhood watches can be formal or informal, Wilsusen said.

“Anything people can do to look out for each other helps us too,” he said.

Does your neighborhood have a neighborhood watch? Does it need one? Take our poll, and tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.